“Talent trumps resume or persistence trumps talent?” That’s the question posed by Polly at the Mavericks At Work blog. And it turns out the answer is yes, just like I’ve always said.
Talent will always get you further ahead than a resume. Given two equal candidates on paper – the resume – the person hiring will pick the one with more talent. This is particularly true in the arts where resumes are all but useless. Sure folks want to know what you’ve done and what experience you have, but they ultimately only want to know if you can cut it. And the person who cuts it best will get the work.
BUT, getting the gig is only the beginning. After that, talent is not enough and this is where most musicians (all folks in the arts) blow it. They don’t understand the need for continual improvement. Of course their talent got them in the door, but so what? Now they’ve got to WORK!
Make sure you keep working on YOU!
